FATHERS DAY 2022

“A GREAT DAD”

5 Min Intro.

so.... This fathers day, Here is a question: What makes dads GOOD?

They can play sport, they can throw the football, they can grill, they can build stuff, they can take the trash out, they can lift heavy things, they can

What makes a GREAT father is one who FOLLOWS THE Father.

A great FATHER in the kingdom is one who doesn’t stand up, but one who even better, kneel’s down.

The Father who pursues God is a GREAT dad because hes living for SOMEONE GREATER

I wanna read for us for a moment a passage which shows us in our bibles a Dad who wasnt just a GOOD, Dad, but because of His FAITH … MADE him a GREAT Dad and a father to MANY.

Genesis 22 - Come on open up your bibles:

Genesis 22:1–14 (The Message)

1 After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, “Abraham!”

“Yes?” answered Abraham. “I’m listening.”

2 He said, “Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I’ll point out to you.”

3 Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God had directed him. 4 On the third day he looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 Abraham told his two young servants, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.”

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry. He carried the flint and the knife. The two of them went off together.

7 Isaac said to Abraham his father, “Father?”

“Yes, my son.”

“We have flint and wood, but where’s the sheep for the burnt offering?”

8 Abraham said, “Son, God will see to it that there’s a sheep for the burnt offering.” And they kept on walking together.

9 They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. 10 Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.

11 Just then an angel of God called to him out of Heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Yes, I’m listening.”

12 “Don’t lay a hand on that boy! Don’t touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn’t hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the altar for me.”

13 Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

14 Abraham named that place God-Yireh (God-Sees-to-It). That’s where we get the saying, “On the mountain of God, he sees to it.”

So WERE TALKING TODAY ABOUT WHAT MAKES A GREAT DAD: The truth about WHAT MADE Abraham GREAT was as a result of WHO ABRAHAM Followed - WHICH made him GREAT!

Joining me up here on stage we have 4 amazing fathers in the house. all in different stages.

Briefly introduce each of the guys

Rev Pastor Bob

Billy Robshaw

Matt Accurso

Drew Clukey

(a few observations here Which will lead into our questions!)

Abraham was a mighty man of God, of Faith and we can break apart this passage a little here and i think maybe draw out the gold.

What do we see?

1.Abraham - “Spoke” - (Am thinking Ps Bob) ( Genesis 22:1 “1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.””

He was in dialogue with God // He was a praying Dad. He had a special unique ‘one of a kind’ relationship and prayer dialogue with God.

Q: How vital is prayer in the life of a GREAT father? How potent is a father who speaks to GOD. How do you see prayer in your life as a dad & have you any insight as to what has helped you or what you’ve been happen as a result of prayer in your life as a DAD.

(cues: you could answer this by talking about quiet time, routine, prayer rhythm and frequency and how that helps you be a great dad)

2.Abraham - “Went” - (Am thinking Billy). His Faith turned into action. He trusted God in a way that led to further Steps. There was MOTION to Abrahams Faith and his Life which also involved his Fatherhood which came from His CALLING.

Q How does your Faith Calling impact the next generation? - Abraham “went” on a journey of faith, how have you seen that play out with your kids and their journey as a result of YOURS.

(cues: Let’s talk about moving in the direction of Gods leading for a moment. “Holy Forward movement”. He was a man of FAITH WHO WENT when GOD Said “GO”. He Led the next generation. // He was a Dad who went the distance with god, who travelled in the name of God - was on a journey with GOD and therefore also with his family.?

3.Abraham - “Walked”

(am thinking Matt Accurso) He walked and did life with his son Isaac. He journeyed with him. Took him places. He “went” on the road in life with his God and His Children// Isaac asked him where he was, and Abraham responded with Here i am son. He was a present dad. How vital is your presence to your kids. Matt you have 3 beautiful girls you are raising and doing a phenomenal job,

Q What does it look like to walk with your kids as a dad?

Matt, what has (maybe) the past few years taught you about your role as a father and what it means to walk through life WITH them?

(Cues: How basic is “walking with” your kids both as a leader and a dad. How do you daily walk with the the next generation and “show them” life lessons etc. What are some practical things you do that maybe dads could hear and be blessed by? - This can be as small as singing a lullaby or having large shaping conversations with your kids)

4.Abraham - “Believed"-

Genesis 22:7-8 “7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.”

“God will provide” - What a deliberate FAITH Statement!

(anyone) When Isaac asked his Dad the question - Where is the sheep? Its almost like he was asking his dad “where is your faith”. and His answer was so strong and deliberate and full of faith. It was a faith statement. Abraham’s Faith was passed onto Issac. /// He was a the Father of faith.

How does our Faith as Fathers get passed along to the next generatuion, and how important is it that we make our own statements of Faith to our kids?

FAITH CHANGES LIVES. IT CHANGED Isaac’s and a whole nation was born from a desire to serve God and be a FATHER who had FAITH.

Let’s thank these guys.